Division I

Men's Swimming

Missouri State Athletics | January 26, 2016

The Bears victory over crosstown rival Drury was reversed to a loss after MSU's coach noticed a scoring error.

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After the Missouri State men’s swimming and diving team had been announced as the winners of Jan. 21's Duel in the Pool by a 112-111 score over Drury at Breech Pool, the MSU coaching staff recognized a computer mistake made by the host in the scoring of an event. With the correction, Drury wound up with a 112-111 victory over the Bears.

“I am super competitive and hate losing,” Missouri State swimming and diving head coach Dave Collins said. “However, we never want to lose sight of the fact that we are in the business of educating people. This is a teaching moment centered around integrity and doing what is right.

“We found an error in the scoring and there was never a question of whether or not to report it. I picked up the phone and called (Drury) coach (Brian) Reynolds immediately to inform him and congratulate him on the win.”

The scoring mistake was made in the 200-yard freestyle. Missouri State had four of the top five finishers in the event, which included the fifth-place finisher Kevin Douglas who had been designated with one point. In NCAA dual competition, a maximum of three swimmers per team can score points in a single event. With Douglas’s swim being canceled out, the remaining point would go to sixth-place finisher, Drury’s David Wong. That change resulted in a two-point turnaround and MSU’s 112-111 victory to become a defeat.

“Last night, Drury’s men were one point better than us in what was a fantastic night of competition,” Collins said. “They earned the victory. I am very proud of the young men and women I am privileged to coach and mentor on a daily basis and wouldn’t trade them for the world.”